Automated composite annular structure forming

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for forming an annular composite structure is provided. In one embodiment an apparatus for forming annular composite structures is provided. The apparatus includes an annular shaped tool and a forming head. The annular shaped tool includes a forming surface of a select cross-sectional geometry. The forming head is configured to form continuous ply layers one ply at a time circumferentially about the forming surface of the tool.

BACKGROUND

In the industry, including aerospace applications there is a need forlight weight, high strength structures. To meet these requirements,fiber reinforced composite materials are often used. However, compositesstructures made from the fiber reinforced composite materials havingcertain shapes are difficult to fabricate with desired strengthcharacteristics. For example, annular shaped composite structures aretypically made by hand lay-up using intermediate debulkings. This is acostly process that takes a significant amount of time to complete withoften less than desired results.

For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below whichwill become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading andunderstanding the present specification, there is a need in the art foran efficient and effective method and system for forming annular shapedcomposite structures with desired characteristics.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The above-mentioned problems of current systems are addressed byembodiments of the present invention and will be understood by readingand studying the following specification. The following summary is madeby way of example and not by way of limitation. It is merely provided toaid the reader in understanding some of the aspects of the invention.

In one embodiment, an apparatus for forming annular composite structuresis provided. The apparatus includes an annular shaped tool and a forminghead. The annular shaped tool includes a forming surface of a selectcross-sectional geometry. The forming head is configured to formcontinuous ply layers one ply at a time circumferentially about theforming surface of the tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be more easily understood and furtheradvantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered inview of the detailed description and the following figures in which:

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of an annular shaped tool of one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a side view of the tool of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a top view of the tool of FIG. 1C;

FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional side view along line AA of FIG. 1C;

FIGS. 1E through 1I are cross-sectional side views of formed annularcomposite structures illustrating possible cross-sectional geometries;

FIGS. 1J through 1L are cross-sectional side views of more than oneformed annular composite structure coupled together;

FIG. 2A is a top view of a bridge coupled to the tool of one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a side view of the bridge and tool of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is another top view of a bridge and tool of an embodiment;

FIG. 3A is an illustration of a roller compacting a ply layer in a firstdirection of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is an illustration of the roller compacting the ply layer in asecond direction of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a forming flow diagram of one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are illustrations of a formed composite structures ofembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 6A is a side perspective view of a forming head and forming headbase of another embodiment of a tool and forming structure of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6B is an illustration of the forming head, a tool handlingassembly, and a material supply assembly of an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6C is a side perspective view of another tool of an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6D is a side perspective view of the tool of FIG. 6D mounted on thetool handling assembly of FIG. 6B;

FIG. 6E is a block diagram of a control system of one embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a forming of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

In accordance with common practice, the various described features arenot drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevantto the present invention. Reference characters denote like elementsthroughout Figures and text.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shownby way of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventions maybe practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is tobe understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical,mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention. The following detaileddescription is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and thescope of the present invention is defined only by the claims andequivalents thereof.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system tomanufacture stiffened closed annular structures out of fiber reinforcedcomposites. The machine process allow for the automated forming ofcontinuous or discontinuous material into stiffened annular structureson constant cross section, including partial plies in local locations.Embodiments further allow for a continuous wrapping process of thematerial to lay up a full circumferential ply with roller compaction andforming on a ply by ply basis. This allows automated manufacture andproduces a part with superior specific strength characteristics at alower cost than a hand lay-up without the need for intermediate debulks.Materials used to form the composite structures are generally describedas ply layers. The ply layers can be made of any materials that exhibitdesired characteristics including but not limited to prepreg materialand dry fiber material. The prepreg material and the dry fiber materialcan include, but is not limited to tapes, woven fabrics, non-wovenfabrics and non-crimp fabrics.

Referring to FIG. 1A, an isometric view of an annular shaped tool 100 ofan embodiment is illustrated. Tool 100 includes an inner surface 102,and an outer surface 104. In this embodiment, the tool 100 is resting onlifting pockets 106 a and 106 b. The lifting pockets 106 a and 106 ballow for the tool to be moved with heavy equipment moving vehicles suchas a fork lift. A side view of the tool 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1B.As illustrated, the outer surface 104 of this embodiment of the tool 100includes flange 108 a and 108 b. The outer surface 104 and flanges 108 aand 108 b form a forming surface of the tool 100. FIG. 1C of the topview of the tool 100. As illustrated the tool 100 in this embodiment isannular shaped. FIG. 1D illustrates a cross-sectional view of tool 100along line AA of FIG. 1C. In this illustration a composite materiallay-up 110 is shown on the forming surface made of outer surface 104 andflanges 108 a and 108 b of the tool 100. Moreover, in this embodimenttool 100 is designed to be taken apart for part extraction purposes. Inparticular, in this embodiment flange 108 a is separated from theremaining portion of the tool 100 by the removal of fasteners 107 thatare spaced along the tool 100 once the composite material lay-up 110 hasbeen formed and cured. This allows for the easy extraction of formedcomposite structures from the tool 100. As illustrated, thecross-sectional geometry of the composite material lay-up is in the formof a C-shape. However, any cross-sectional geometry is contemplated andthe present invention is not limited to C-shapes. That is, the formingsurface of the tool can have any cross-sectional geometry desired toform composite structures having desired cross-sectional geometries. Forexample, possible cross-sectional geometries 120, 122, 124, 126 and 128of formed full circumference composite structures are illustrated inFIGS. 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H and 1I. Moreover, the cross-sectional geometries130, 132 and 134 can also be formed by coupling two or more fullcircumference composite structures as illustrated in FIGS. 1J, 1K and1L. Hence, the present invention is not limited to specificcross-sectional geometries.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate one embodiment of a mechanism used toapply the composite material lay-up to the tool 100. In particular, FIG.2A illustrates a top view of a bridge rotationally coupled to tool 100.The bridge includes bridge frame 202. Frame 202 has a first rail 130 aand a second rail 130 b. The first and the second rails 130 a and 130 bextend beyond a diameter of the tool 100 in this embodiment. The firstrail 130 a is spaced from the second rail 130 b by spacing members 132a, 132 b, 132 c, 132 d, 132 e and 132 f. Supports 134 a, 134 b, 134 care further added between rails 130 a and 130 b to add additionalsupport to the bridge frame 202. The bridge 200 has a first end 204 aand a second end 204 b. In this embodiment, spacing member 132 a isproximate the first end 204 a of the bridge and spacing member 132 f isproximate the second end 204 b of the bridge 200. Further illustrated inFIG. 2 a is attaching supports 138 a positioned between spacing member132 a and 132 b and attaching support 138 b, attached between spacingmembers 132 e and 132 f. Further attached to the frame 202 of the bridge200 is guide roller supports 136 a and 136 b each of the guide rollersupports 136 a, 136 b extends across a width of the frame 202 defined byrails 130 a and 130 b. At the end of each guide roller support 136 a and136 b is attached a respective guide roller 206 a, 206 b, 206 c, and 206d. The guide rollers 206 a, 206 b, 206 c and 206 d are designed toengage the inner surface 102 of the tool 100. In particular, the guiderollers 206 a, 206 b, 206 c and 206 d guide the bridge tool 100 as itrotates about tool 100. In one embodiment, the guide roller supports 136a and 136 b are adjustable so that different diameters of the innersurface of the frame can be accommodated.

FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C further illustrate how the bridge 200 isrotationally coupled to the tool 100. In particular, FIG. 2B illustratesa cross-sectional side view of the tool 100 with the bridge 200 coupledthereto and FIG. 2C is another top view of the bridge 200 on the tool100. As illustrated, the bridge 200 includes a plurality of trap rollers210 a and 210 b and support rollers 208 a, 208 b, 208 c and 208 d. Thetrap rollers 210 a and 210 b are coupled to the frame 202 via traproller support members 209. The trap rollers 210 a and 210 b engage afirst surface 103 a of a lip 103 extending from the inner surface of thetool 100. Meanwhile the support rollers 208 a, 208 b, 208 c, and 208 dengage a second surface 103 b of the lip 103 of the tool. Hence, the lip103 of the tool 100 is coupled between the guide rollers 210 a and 210 band the support rollers 208 a, 208 b, 208 c and 208 d. The supportrollers 208 a, 208 b, 208 c and 208 d are coupled to the frame 202 ofthe bridge 200 via support brackets 207 a, 207 b, 207 c, and 207 d. Thetrap rollers 210 a and 210 b and support rollers 208 a, 208 b, 208 c and208 d maintain the bridge 200 on the tool 100 as the bridge 200 rotatesabout the tool. Coupled proximate the second end of the bridge 200 is aforming head 220. This forming head 220 is illustrated as includingrollers 222, 224 and 226. The forming head 220 applies andsimultaneously forms continuous ply layers one at a time on the formingsurface of the tool 100. Further discussion of the forming head 220 isdiscussed below. Proximate the first end 204 a of the bridge 200 iscoupled a compaction roller 230. The compaction roller 230 is used tocompact the ply layers on the forming surface of the tool 100. Thebridge 200 can be rotated in relation to the tool in two directions.Hence, once a layer of ply has been formed on the forming surface of thetool 100 with the bridge 200 rotating in a first direction in relationto the tool 100, the bridge 200 can be reversed in direction in relationto the tool 100 so that the compaction roller 230 can be applied in twodirections as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In particular, FIG. 3Aillustrates compaction roller 230 compacting ply layer 300 in a firstdirection and FIG. 3B illustrates compaction roller 230 compacting plylayer 300 in a second direction. Although FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C illustratethe use of the bridge 200 forming a composite material on an outerforming surface of the tool 100 the same principles can be applied to aforming surface that was formed on the inner surface of tool 100. Hencein this embodiment (not shown), the forming head 200 attached to theframe 202 of the bridge would be proximate the inside surface of thetool 100. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to formingsurfaces on the outside of the tool 100.

Referring to FIG. 4, a forming flow diagram 400 of one embodiment isillustrated. Flow diagram 400 in this embodiment starts by firstproducing a ply layer (402). In one embodiment the ply layers arecreated by cutting a feed stock to achieve a desired fiber angleorientation. The cut section of fiber are then spliced together to forma ply layer having a desired angle orientation and a desired length. Theflat ply layer is then typically rolled up on a supply roll until readyfor use. In one embodiment the width of the ply roll is cut to the fulltool width. Hence, in this embodiment the plies are continuous fromflange edge to flange edge. Next, the tool 100 is prepared (404). In oneembodiment the tool is prepared by applying a release coating thatallows the formed composite part to be extracted from the tool 100.Next, an impregnated peel ply is applied to desired areas of the formingsurface of the tool 100 in one embodiment (406). In one embodiment, thetool is heated to enhance the tack of the ply layer on the tool 100. Theply layers are then applied to the forming surface with the forming head220 one ply layer at a time (408). In one embodiment, the material iscontinuously wound about the tool. The forming head 220 applies each plylayer at a balanced, symmetric, quasi-isotropic lay up in oneembodiment. Moreover, the forming head 220 applies and simultaneouslyforms the ply layers on the forming surface of the tool 100. In oneembodiment, the ply layers are applied by hand and the forming head 220forms the layers. The ply layers are individually compacted with therollers of the forming head (410). In one embodiment, ply endscircumferentially overlap each other by 25.4 millimeters. In oneembodiment a peel ply is applied to corners and flanges on the laminatesouter face to control resin richness (412). Next, a bagging process isapplied at (414). Further in an embodiment, a corner consolidator isused on at least one corner (416). The bagged part is then cured in anautoclave under select heat and pressure (418). Once the part has beencured, the formed composite structure is extracted from the tool (410).The final part is then debagged and trimmed (420). In one embodiment,the bridge 200 is used in the trimming process.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate formed composite structures 500 and 501created with a tool similar to tool 100 (described above) or tool 600(described below). As illustrated, in these examples, the compositesstructures 500 and 501 are generally circular (annular) with compositestructure 500 having C-shape cross-sectional geometry and compositestructure 501 having a Z-shaped cross-sectional geometry. Although FIGS.2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate a forming head 220 being attached to a bridge200 that rotates in relation to the tool 100 in other embodiments theforming head is stationary and the tool moves. For example, referring toFIG. 6A, a forming head 604 on a forming head base 602 is illustrated.In this embodiment, the forming head base 602 includes a base plate 654that engages a surface upon which the forming head base 602 is resting.Attached to the base plate 654 is a cable track 640 and elongatedmembers 652 a and 652 b. A first base support 601 of base 602 isslideably coupled to base plate 654. In particular, guides (or slides)650 coupled to the first base support 601 of the forming head base 602slideably engage elongated members 652 a and 652 b to control movementof the base support 601 in relation to the base plate 654 of the base602. Cable track 640 is used to move the first base support 601 inrelation to the base plate 654 of the base 602. This movement allows theforming head 604 to move towards and away from a tool as discussedfurther below.

The first base support 601 is coupled to a second base support 603 inthis embodiment of the forming head base 602. The second base support603 in turn is coupled to the forming head 604. The forming head 604 isgenerally C-shaped in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the forminghead 604 includes curved elongated frame members 632 a, 632 b, 632 c and632 d. Coupled between frame members 632 a, 632 b, 632 c and 632 d areattaching plates 630 a, 630 b, 630 c, 630 d, 630 e and 630 f. Brackets628 are selectively coupled to the attaching plates 603 a, 630 b, 630 c,630 d, 630 e and 630 f. Air cylinder bodies 624 (of air cylinders) arecoupled to the brackets 628 at select locations. Hence, the positioningof the rollers 620 and 622 to specific locations can be achieved withthis arrangement. Rods 626 (of the air cylinders) selectively extend outfrom each respective air cylinder body 624 to engage the respectiveforming rollers 620 and 622 with the forming surface of the tool. Inparticular, the air cylinder bodies 624 exert a select force on plylayers with the respective forming rollers 620 and 622 to form the plylayers on the forming surface of the tool. An example force exerted is100 lbs. In an embodiment, once the forming of the ply layers has beencomplete, rods 626 are then retracted into their respective air cylinderbodies 624.

Referring to FIG. 6B an illustration of forming head 604, a toolhandling assembly 660 and a material supply assembly 608 of oneembodiment is shown. The tool handling assembly 660 includes a toolholding base 662 upon which a tool handling support 661 extends. A toolattaching member 664 is rotationally coupled to the tool attachingsupport 661. A motor (not shown) rotates the tool attaching member 664in relation to the tool holding support 661 of the tool holding assembly660 at a select angular velocity. The material supply assembly 608rotationally holds a roll of material 610 which is placed on a tool byan operator 612 in this embodiment. An example of a tool 600 isillustrated in FIG. 6C. Tool 600 is mounted on tool attaching member 664of the tool holding assembly 660 is illustrated in FIG. 6D. FIG. 6Dillustrates the applying and forming of the material on the tool 600 inthis embodiment. As illustrated, the tool 600 rotates on the toolholding assembly 660 as the operator 612 applies the material (plylayer) to the tool 600. The forming head 604 that includes the formingrollers 620 and 622 form the ply layer on the tool 600. Once, the plylayers have been formed, the forming head 604 is pulled back from thetool 600 via slides 650. The tool 100 with the formed ply layers 610 canthen be removed for curing. FIG. 6E illustrates, a block diagram of acontrol system 680 used to operate the composite forming apparatus asillustrated in FIG. 6D. As illustrated, a controller 682 receives inputfrom an operator such as, but not limited to, how many revolutionsshould be made with the tool 600 before stopping and the angularvelocity of the tool 600 during the revolutions. In response to theoperator inputs, the controller 682 controls the motor 684 to achievethe desired performance. The controller 682 in this embodiment alsocontrols a heating element 686 used to heat the ply fibers and/or toolto help adhesion of the ply on the tool. The heating element 686 can beany type of heating element including, but not limited to, a convectionheating element, an infrared heating element and a conduction heatingelement. The controller 682 in this embodiment is also in communicationwith an actuation control 688. The actuation control 688 is coupled tocontrol each of the actuators 624 discussed above. Hence, the controller682 in response to an operators input directs the actuation control 688to move the air cylinders 626 of respective actuators 624 accordingly.

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention use a forminghead. Another example of a forming head that includes an automatic plyfeeder (dispensing device 724) can be found in commonly assigned U.S.Pat. No. 7,513,769 (Benson et al.) filed on Jul. 30, 2004, entitled“Apparatus and Methods for Forming Composite Stiffeners and ReinforcingStructures” which is herein incorporated by reference. A description ofa forming head is shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 7. Inparticular, FIG. 7 provides an exemplary example of a materialdispensing device 724 and the forming head 726. Material 740 (e.g., aply layer or prepreg cloth) is fed from a supply and tension roller 742and over a redirect roller 744 as motivated by a pair of feed rollers746. The material 740 passes beyond a cutting device 748 which may beused to cut the material to a specified length, width, or both such asdescribed hereinabove with respect to other embodiments of the presentinvention. The material 740 is then disposed onto a portion of a tool706A by a tack roller 750.

It is noted that the tack roller 750 (and subsequent rollers encounteredby the material 740) is shown in a first elevational view with a second,rotated elevational view depicted immediately therebeneath to provideadditional understanding of how the material 740 is being shaped by theinteraction of various rollers with the material 740 and the underlyingtool 706A.

The forming head 726 includes a plurality of rollers 728A-728D used toshape and debulk material 740 disposed over the tool 706A (or overpreviously shaped material plies disposed on the tool 706A). Thus, forexample, a first roller 728A engages the tool 706A to generally conformthe material 740 to the shape of the tool 706A. Second, a set of rollers728B may be used to press the material against the side walls 754 of thetool 706A. If desired, this may be accomplished with multiple sets ofrollers 728B working from the upper portion of the tool 706A to thebottom portion as depicted in the rotated elevational views of therollers 728B. Another set of rollers 728C may be used to press thematerial 740 into the interior lower corners 756 of the tool 706A. Asqueegee 758 (or shoe) may be used to help pull wrinkles from thematerial at one or more intermediate locations among the rollers728A-728D. Finally a set of rollers 728D may be used to press and formthe flange members of the composite structure 702.

It is noted that the process of forming the composite structure 702includes forming, shaping and debulking the material 740 from the insideout. In other words, the tack roller 750 applies pressure to the tool706A and material 740 disposed thereon at the center, with subsequentrollers 728A-728D each sequentially applying pressure at a locationfurther towards the outer edges of the material 740. Such a process hasbeen determined to be efficient and effective in removing wrinkles andair gaps between laminar plies of material thereby producing a highlyconsolidated and debulked composite member.

A take-up roller 760 may be associated with the forming head 726 (orindependently coupled with the carriage assembly 710) to collect carriermaterial 762 (also referred to as backing) which may be disposed on asurface of, for example, a prepreg material used to form the compositestructure 702. The carrier material 762, which may include a suitablepolymer material, not only keeps the prepreg material from adhering toitself when in rolled form (i.e., such as when on supply and tensionroller 742) but also may remain on the material 740 while the material740 is being shaped, formed and debulked so that the various rollers 750and 728A-728D do not stick to the material 740 or collect and build-upresin of a surface thereof. Additionally, the presence of such carriermaterial 762 may serve to protect the material 740 used to form acomposite structure 702 when the various rollers 728 press and rubagainst the material 740 during forming of the composite structure 702.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the artthat any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose,may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This applicationis intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the presentinvention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention belimited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

1. A method of forming an annular composite structure, the methodcomprising: applying continuous ply layers one at time on a formingsurface of an annular tool that has a select cross-sectional geometry;and forming the ply layers on the full circumference annular tool with aforming head.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: compactingthe ply layers on the tool.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein theforming head includes at least one roller conformed to a surface of thetool.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming head includes atleast one squeegee to smooth out at least one ply layer.
 5. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: producing a roll of ply having a selectorientation.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising one ofapplying the ply layers by hand to the forming surface of the tool andautomatically applying the ply layers to the forming surface of the toolwith the forming head.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:preparing the tool with a release coating to allow for compositestructure extraction.
 8. The method of the claim 1, further comprising:moving the forming head relative to the tool in forming the ply layers.9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: moving the tool relativeto the forming head in forming the ply layers.
 10. The method of claim1, further comprising: circumferentially overlapping ends of ply layers.11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: continuously winding morethan one layer of ply on the forming surface of a full circumferenceannular tool.
 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: applying abagging process; applying heat and pressure with an autoclave to curethe ply layers; extracting formed composite structure from the tool; anddebagging and trimming the composite structure after the curing.
 13. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the ply layers are formed from one of prepregfiber material and dry fiber material.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein the material is at least one of tape, woven fabric, non-wovenfabric and non-crimp fabric.
 15. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: assembling at least two formed composite structures togetherto form a desired cross-sectional geometry.
 16. An apparatus for formingannular composite structures, the apparatus comprising: an annularshaped tool having a forming surface of a select cross-sectionalgeometry; and a forming head configured to form continuous ply layersone ply at a time circumferentially about the forming surface of thetool.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the tool is configured torotate in relation to the forming head.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16,wherein the forming head is configured to rotate in relation to thetool.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising: a bridgerotationally coupled to the tool, the forming head coupled to thebridge, the forming head coupled to the bridge.
 20. The apparatus ofclaim 19, wherein the bridge further has a first end and a second end,the forming end coupled proximate the first end, the bridge furtherhaving at least one compaction roller coupled proximate the second endof the bridge configured to compact the layer of plies as the bridgerotates in relation to the tool.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20, furthercomprising: at least one guide roller coupled to the bridge, the atleast one guide roller configured to engage the tool to guide the bridgeas the bridge rotates about the tool; at least one support rollercoupled to the bridge, the at least one support rollers configured toengage the tool to support the bridge as the bridge rotates about thetool; and at least one trap roller coupled to the bridge, the at leastone trap roller configured to engage a portion of the tool such that theat least one trap roller and the at least one support roller holds thebridge on the tool.
 22. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising; atool holding assembly configured to rotationally hold the tool in avertical orientation; a motor configured to rotate the tool about thetool holding assembly; a forming head base configured to hold andposition the forming head in relation to the tool holding assembly; anda material supply assembly configured to hold a roll of ply to be placedon the tool.
 23. A composite structure forming system, the systemcomprising: an annular tool having a forming surface with a selectcross-sectional geometry; a tool holding assembly configured torotationally hold the tool; a motor configured to rotate the tool aboutthe tool holding assembly; and a forming head configured to form plylayers on the forming surface of the tool.
 24. The system of claim 23,further comprising: a material supply assembly configured to hold a rollof ply to be placed on the tool.
 25. The system of claim 23, furthercomprising: a controller to control the rotation of the tool on the toolholding assembly.
 26. The system of claim 23, wherein the forming headbase is configured to selectively move the forming head to engage anddisengage the forming surface of the tool.
 27. The system of claim 23,further comprising: a forming head base configured to hold and positionthe forming head in relation to the forming surface of the tool.